The agnostic meaning, in its classic religious sense, is a person who thinks we do not know, or cannot know, whether God or any gods exist. An agnostic neither firmly claims that God is real nor firmly claims that God is not.
The word has spread beyond religion. In everyday and business English, being agnostic about something means having no fixed preference, and in technology a platform-agnostic app is one that works on many systems.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
Holding that God's existence is unknown or unknowable; also, not committed to one optionPart of speech
Noun (an agnostic) and adjective (agnostic views)Pronunciation
ag-NOS-tikWord forms
Agnosticism (noun), agnostically (adverb, rare)Origin
Coined by the English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869, from Greek a- (not) and gnostikos (knowing)Compare
Theist, atheist, skepticRegister
Neutral; formal in philosophy, casual in tech and business
The agnostic meaning in plain words
- About God or gods. An agnostic is someone who says the question of God's existence has no clear answer, at least not with the evidence humans have. Some agnostics think the answer may one day be found; others think it can never be known.
- About any open question. To be agnostic on a topic is to hold no strong view: "I am agnostic about which phone is better."
- In technology. Agnostic describes something that works regardless of a particular system or supplier: a device-agnostic website, a vendor-agnostic tool, cloud-agnostic software.
Where the word came from
Agnostic is one of the few English words with a known coiner and a known date. The biologist Thomas Henry Huxley introduced it in 1869 at a meeting of a London discussion society. He later explained that he made it as the opposite of gnostic, from the Greek gnosis, knowledge, because many people around him seemed sure they had answers to questions he felt could not be answered.
Huxley saw agnosticism less as a belief and more as a method: do not claim to be certain of things you cannot show to be true.
Agnostic versus atheist and theist
People often mix these up. A helpful way to see them is that two questions are involved:
- Belief: Do you believe in God? A theist says yes; an atheist says no, or lacks the belief.
- Knowledge: Can anyone know for sure? An agnostic says no, or not yet.
| Label | Typical view |
|---|---|
| Theist | Believes God exists |
| Atheist | Does not believe God exists |
| Agnostic | Holds the answer is unknown or unknowable |
| Agnostic theist | Believes in God while admitting it cannot be proven |
| Agnostic atheist | Lacks belief in God while not claiming proof that no god exists |
Not everyone accepts this two-question model. Some people use agnostic to mean a middle position between belief and disbelief, and many simply call themselves agnostic without adding another label. Read more on the atheism meaning page.
Agnostic definition in examples
- My uncle grew up attending temple but now describes himself as agnostic.
- She is agnostic about the afterlife and happy to leave the question open.
- Our team stays agnostic on frameworks and picks whatever suits each project.
- The new charging cable is brand-agnostic, so it fits most laptops.
- As an agnostic, he enjoys religious festivals for the food, music and family time.
How religious traditions see agnosticism
Views differ. Some faith communities welcome honest doubt as part of a spiritual journey and see questioning as healthy. Others teach that knowledge of God is possible through scripture, reason or personal experience, and so see agnosticism as an incomplete answer. Many agnostics still value ritual, community or ethics drawn from religious traditions. You can explore related ideas such as faith, secular and deity in the faith and belief section.
Usage notes and pitfalls
- Write agnostic with a small a; it is not a proper noun.
- The noun for the outlook is agnosticism, not agnosticity.
- In tech writing, agnostic often joins another word with a hyphen: platform-agnostic, data-agnostic.
- Do not use agnostic to mean anti-religious. An agnostic is unsure, not hostile.
- Avoid confusing it with Gnostic, which refers to ancient religious groups that stressed secret spiritual knowledge.
Frequently asked questions
What is an agnostic person?
An agnostic person thinks the existence of God has not been, or cannot be, settled by human knowledge. They do not firmly commit to belief or to disbelief.
Can you define agnostic briefly?
Put simply, a definition of agnostic is: unsure whether God exists, and doubtful that anyone can know. That short meaning of agnostic covers the religious sense; in business or tech, it simply means not tied to one choice.
Is agnostic the same as atheist?
No, though they can overlap. Atheism is about not believing in God. Agnosticism is about not knowing. Some people call themselves both, as agnostic atheists.
How do you pronounce agnostic?
Say ag-NOS-tik. NOS, the loud middle beat, matches the nos of nostril.
What does agnostic mean in technology?
It means something works with many systems rather than one. Platform-agnostic software, for example, runs on different operating systems or devices.
Can a person be religious and agnostic?
Yes. Some people take part in religious life and believe in God while admitting they cannot prove it. This is sometimes called agnostic theism.
Who coined the word agnostic?
The English biologist Thomas Henry Huxley coined it in 1869. He built it from Greek parts meaning not and knowing.